Change of Setting, Change of Mind
by Mikauzoran
Summary: Hakuba returns to England after an unfortunate incident reveals his crush to the class and Kaito. Five years later, destiny brings the two together again, but they're both stuck in loveless relationships. How will things play out?
1. The Locker Room Incident

Mikau: Hello and welcome to newcomers, old friends, and lurkers alike! Thank you so much for taking an interest in my fic. This will be a two chapter (unless anyone requests omakes) HakuKai (with some implied KaiShin and some HeiShin in the second chapter) fic, and, in my opinion, the second chapter is more interesting than the first. However, I hope you enjoy it just the same. Warnings for name calling and cruelty in the first chapter. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't have had Kaito give that impassioned speech to Aoko in the Ghost Game chapter about how she couldn't come with him because she was a woman and he would never put a woman in danger. "This is man's work!" Yeah, right. I would have hit him with the mop. I hope that gets changed in the English version whenever it happens. Normally I'm all for sticking to the original Japanese, but take that scene out, please. It makes Kaito sound like a sexist chauvinist. Regardless, on with the show.

….

The Locker-Room Incident

Kaito was changing for gym one Thursday afternoon when he felt eyes boring into his back.

His work had given him a kind of sixth sense, and he could now tell when eyes were on him.

This pair he had become accustomed to. This pair in particular belonged to a nosey blonde.

The magician had been ignoring the gaze for several months now, and he was finally fed up.

Without even bothering to don his school slacks and shirt, he turned and made three great strides towards the startled blonde. He forced the taller teen up against the lockers, slamming his fist into the metal door to the side of the Brit's head.

"Will you cut it out already?" Kaito hissed, causing the entire locker-room to freeze. "I've had it up to here with having an audience whenever I change clothes! I'm not the Kaitou Kid, so stop checking my body for suspicious cuts or bruises or whatever the hell it is that you're doing! Are we clear?" He glared the detective down as he huffed, inches from Hakuba's face.

The Brit went as red as a cardinal and began to stutter, looking anywhere but at his rival. "I…I wasn't…I mean…I didn't…I was just…"

"He was checking him out," one of their classmates sniggered sotto voce.

"Just look at his pants; he _likes_ him," another whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Kaito blinked, jerking back and looking down. He blinked again and looked back up at the blonde's pained face.

"Figures the half's a fag," one boy hissed.

"Yeah, the foreign blood'll do that," another student agreed.

"Makes 'em messed up in the head," a third laughed.

"Don't turn your back to him, Kuroba; he'll try to jump you!" the jeers started.

"Eww! I don't want a homo watching me change!" a guy from the soccer club screeched.

"Get out, sicko!" a baseball player yelled, pelting the blonde with his shirt.

The cry was quickly taken up by the rest of the locker-room which rapidly evolved into an angry mob, thankfully sans pitchforks and torches.

They began hurtling objects as well as curses and slurs at the half-Japanese boy who hurriedly dressed and dashed out of the locker-room.

A victorious cheer broke out as he left.

All the while Kaito just blinked, unable to comprehend what had happened so suddenly right before him—the look of shame and pain on Hakuba's face at the accusations, the undeniable bulge in the boy's boxers, the taunts and insults of his classmates, the unbelievable cruelty he'd just witnessed.

And he had done nothing. Worse than nothing—he'd started the whole conflict in the first place with his misunderstanding.

000

He'd expected to see Hakuba back in the classroom, but there was no sign of the blonde. He made an excuse about not feeling well to go check the nurse's office.

His classmates cast him looks of pity as he left, reasoning that anyone would feel ill after learning that a homo had his eye on them.

But the nurse said that the superintendent's son hadn't been in.

That left the roof, and _that_ was where the magician found the detective, leaning against the fence, looking out at the Tokyo landscape.

"I'm fine, so just leave me alone," the younger teen hissed like a wounded animal giving a warning. "Or did you come here to mock me as well?" he laughed bitterly. "If you really find me so revolting, just say the word, and I'll jump. You'll be free of my retched existence."

"Hakuba, are you really—" the brunette began, but he was quickly interrupted as the taller boy started to yell.

"—Really what? A fag? NO! I'm a PERSON, goddammit! A person! Like anyone even thinks of me as one," he continued a little softer, words still full of venom. "No one treats me like one. I'm not a person; I'm a freak…abnormal. I'm foreigner. Everywhere I go I'm too Asian, too Western…too big…too little… I don't belong.

"No. I'm not a person," the younger boy whispered ruefully, beginning to cry softly. "I don't even have the right to love. A man falls in love with a woman, and it's wonderful…something you can brag about. It's beautiful. But a man falling for another man? No. It's perverse, disgusting. It's something to be ashamed of and mocked for. Something must be wrong with his head. Even though it's the same feeling, why is it wonderful when you feel it for Aoko-kun but ugly when I feel it for you?

"It's not like I meant to fall for you, you know." The great detective tried his hardest to keep it together, to not sniffle like a child in front of his crush. "And don't even bother rejecting me at this point. I know, okay? You have Aoko-kun, and I freak you out, and I know, so please don't feel the need to rub salt in my wounds…please. Have a heart. I didn't even want to fall for you, but…you're just so bloody perfect.

"You're handsome, smart, funny, kind, athletic…the list goes on. Everyone respects and admires you. Everyone likes you. You don't even have to try to fit in…everyone just conforms to you. You may not think so, but everyone else thinks that you're perfect, and it's hard not to fall in line with everyone else and come to like you as well. I didn't mean to fall in love with you, but…well…

"There you have it. The answer to your question: yes, I'm a dirty fag, so you can go now, if your curiosity's been satisfied. I want to be alone," Hakuba mumbled, resting his forehead against the metal links of the fence.

"Well, you got one thing right," Kaito replied in dazed astonishment. "I've got my answer alright. Unfortunately, you got my question wrong."

The blonde's ears perked up slightly at this revelation.

"I was going to ask: 'Hakuba, are you really okay?' but to ask that now would be redundant, since you're obviously not. Come here," Kaito sighed, taking the taller boy by the arm and pulling him away from the roof's edge. He sat them both down up against the wall of the roof entrance and pulled out his handkerchief. "Don't cry? Okay? You're making me feel like a slimewad."

"Thank you," Saguru mumbled, taking the offered handkerchief and drying his eyes.

"I'm sorry that I didn't do anything in the locker-room. I was kind of floored. I mean, all this time I thought you were staring at me, trying to find some kind of evidence that I was Kid, but…I was just a little shocked is all, but I'll definitely give those guys a talking to, and if anyone gives you trouble, I'll take care of it, so don't worry, okay? I mean, it's not like it's your fault that you're gay. People are just born like that…not that those idiots know that."

"Th-Thank you," the detective stuttered, still trying to get his tears under control.

Kaito shrugged. "Look, I'll be honest with you. I've got nothing against you being gay, but it does kind of freak me out that you like me. I don't think you're weird or anything, though. Well, I mean…I do, but not because you're gay. I think you're weird because you're an obsessive psycho trying to put me in jail for crimes I didn't commit. If you'd cut that out, I wouldn't have a problem with you. I mean, you're not a half-bad guy…this is awkward. Do we understand each other, Hakuba?"

"I think so." Saguru cleared his throat. "You have a problem with me liking you because I'm a weirdo, not because I'm male…and…you wouldn't mind my presence if I stopped trying to get you arrested?"

"You got it." The brunette gave a decisive nod.

"But…you wouldn't be interested in me as a romantic partner, would you? Because you have Aoko-kun." Hakuba held his breath, wanting for Kuroba to give him hope and completely shatter his delusions, both at the same time.

"I don't know." Kaito responded with a shrug. "I've never really thought about guys like that before, so I really can't say one way or the other…. It's true that I do like Aoko, but I don't _have_ her. I don't know if anything is ever going to happen between her and me, but…don't get your hopes up, though."

Saguru nodded, looking away. "Thank you for your honesty…your kindness…" Even though they had only served to make him fall even deeper in love. "I appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it." Kaito shrugged, getting to his feet. "I'm heading back to class. You can stay up here as long as you like."

"I think I'll hide out here the rest of the day, if it's all the same," Saguru sighed, nodding a quick bow to the other teen. "Thank you again."

Kaito gave the blonde a swift, reassuring pat on the shoulder and headed back down the stairs.

000

Hakuba Saguru moved back to England a month later.

Despite Kuroba's efforts to stem the threats, jeers, pranks, and abuse, homophobia was too big a problem for the magician to tackle alone, and the stigma was too great.

Kaito thought about his former rival often during the first year or two—mostly when on a heist. After he retired, thoughts of the blonde became less frequent, but whenever they did surface, they always brought with them feelings of guilt, sympathy, and…a little spark of something else.

Saguru, on the other hand, thought about his unrequited love constantly, mourning his lose anew every time Kaito's face came to mind. He was _very_ good at obsessing, fixating.

However, even though they always remained in each other's thoughts, Kaito and Saguru never spoke—they had no reason to—and they didn't meet again until one fateful night, five years later in a bar in Osaka.

…

:}i{:

Mikau: It's a butterfly! I always thought that this one was pretty, but some people said that they didn't see the butterfly. Oh, well. Yes, so next chapter takes place five years later in a bar in Osaka. It's a fun chapter full of…well, fun and innuendo. Excitement and romance with less angst. I hope you'll look forward to it. Thanks for reading, and have an awesome day!


	2. Incident at the Forever Blue

Mikau: Hi guys! Thanks for coming back for the second chapter. In my opinion, it's a lot better than the first. Funnier, anyway, even though it's imperfect in many ways. Oh, well. I'm happy enough with it to post it. Warnings this chapter for implied intercourse, but nothing graphic. Also, thanks so much to Syrus07 who reviewed. Feedback is always greatly appreciated. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I think I would eventually have time move forward a little. Does anyone else find it strange that the Conan gang has been in their second year of high school since 1994? I do. Kaito's been stuck there since 1987. The seasons seem to change just fine, though. Huh.

….

Incident at the Forever Blue

Takeshi had insisted on taking him to the Forever Blue, a little bar on the outskirts of Osaka, one night in November.

That was his boyfriend for you. Takeshi made a habit of taking Saguru to bars for their dates. That way, even if he didn't find someone new to leave with, he could still take Saguru home to bed.

Takeshi was busy flirting with a guy in leather pants, so Saguru made himself comfortable on a barstool.

"Irish Car Bomb, please," he sighed, watching his boyfriend stick his tongue down leather pant boy's throat.

He silently asked himself for what had to be the thousandth time why he was dating that sleazeball.

Because he was lonely and no one else seemed interested. Well…no one better, anyway. He had the bad fortune to only attract abusive opportunists.

"Another, please," he mumbled once he'd finished the first.

He glanced over his shoulder, checking Takeshi's location.

Still with Mr. Leather Pants. Dear, sweet Mother Mary, please get a room.

"And a Screwdriver as well. Thank you."

And then a fight broke out. What a classy establishment his boyfriend had taken him to.

Saguru got up to leave just as the fight sent a brunette flying into him, knocking Hakuba to the floor beneath the other man.

"Are you quite alright?" Saguru asked with a groan.

"Y-Yeah," the smaller male replied, hissing in pain under his breath. "Thanks. Listen I'm really sorry. Guess I was standing in the wrong place when the fight broke out. I'll buy you a drink to…" He looked up and froze.

Saguru blinked as a set of violet eyes met his. "Kuroba?" he whispered. He hadn't thought that he was _that_ drunk yet. Usually his lost love didn't show up and start talking to him until drink number five or six.

But this one looked different from the usual magician-thief. This Kaito looked older (though, not by much) than the one Saguru always saw.

"Hakuba?" the brunette breathed in disbelief. "Geez, it's been forever! How are you?"

"Uh…fine…I guess. A little uncomfortable; you're straddling me." Saguru gulped, afraid that if Kaito remained seated on his lap much longer, he'd notice Hakuba's little problem.

"Oh! Sorry!" Kuroba laughed sheepishly as he got to his feet and helped his former rival up. "You got even taller."

Hakuba chuckled as the noticeably shorter brunette blinked up at him. "And you didn't. How have you been?"

Kaito shrugged and motioned for Saguru to sit down on the barstool the former detective had just vacated. "I can't complain. Some good stuff happened. Some bad stuff happened. I'm happy. Are you happy?" his handsome companion sang with a smile.

Saguru's lips twitched, and he tried to make it look like more of a grin than a grimace. "I'm…" He caught sight of Takeshi and Leather Pants still going at it and sighed. "I'm happy for you, Kuroba. My life sucks."

Kaito blinked thrice, and it was the most adorable thing.

"That's my boyfriend." Saguru pointed him out. "The one that looks like a Pit-bull; not the one in leather."

"Does he know you're here?" Kuroba exclaimed, making a face as Takeshi stuck his hand down the leather pants.

"Oh, yes. He brought me here. We're on a date," the blonde sighed.

"Hakuba, why are you even with that jerk?" Kaito growled, giving Takeshi the evil eye.

Saguru shrugged. "You know, I ask myself that question every day, and so far my answer has been that it's better than being alone."

"But you could do better than him," Kaito insisted, getting angry for the former detective's sake. It was heart-warming—touching, really.

"Correction, I could do worse than him." Saguru downed the rest of his Screwdriver. "I don't know why, but I only attract the wrong kind of men. I guess there's just something about me that screams, 'Please walk all over me! Use me and lose me; I don't mind!'"

"Hakuba…"

"Don't worry about it. It was like that in England too. I actually came back to Japan last year to try to turn my life around, but…I thought a change of setting would help, but so far it's been the same old problems one after another. I was really hoping against all hope that Prince Charming would come and save me, but…" He glanced back at his boyfriend and sighed again. "…Prince Charming sure is taking his sweet time. So…how are things with Aoko-kun? Are you two engaged yet? Married with kids?"

Kaito laughed heartily and ordered a Bailey's with a scoop of chocolate ice cream. "Thankfully, no. We broke up a year or two ago. We started going out after I retired, and it was seriously one of the best experiences of my life. We'd fight like cats and dogs and then make up like wild animals. She always made me feel like I was being burned alive from the inside out. It was a scalding experience…really intense…really passionate, but…it wasn't the kind of relationship where you settled down and raised a family together, and that was what we both wanted, so…we broke up. We're still friends, though. We hang out, and we used to hook up from time to time until we started seeing the people we're with now, but…I'm really glad it happened."

"You're seeing someone now?" Saguru tried not to let the disappointment show on his face. Of course Kuroba was seeing someone. He _was_ a hot commodity after all.

"Yeah. I'm actually in Osaka with them visiting their friend." Kaito craned his neck, searching the bar. "Ah. Over there in the corner. You see the guy who could be my brother?"

"The one making eyes at that tan-skinned man? Isn't that Hattori Heiji? I've worked with him before." Saguru blinked. "Sorry. Yes, I see him. Which one of the women next to him is your girlfriend?"

Kaito giggled. "He _is_ my girlfriend. That's Kudo Shinichi."

Hakuba nearly fell over. At least he was drunk enough to use inebriation as an excuse. "You're dating Kudo Shinichi who's making eyes at Hattori Heiji?" He mentally added, "Since when do you like men?"

"Yep. They're in love." The brunette smiled fondly at the pair of private detectives. "Shinichi's reluctant to act on his feelings out of consideration for me, and Heiji's still unsure of whether or not to give up hope on a relationship with his childhood friend. I really wish they'd just sleep together already. It's going to happen regardless, so why not sooner, rather than later?"

"You're…not very emotionally attached to Kudo-san?" Saguru blinked. Well.

Kaito shrugged. "We were really into each other while we were taking down a crime syndicate together, but then we won and they found a cure for…well, this really rare disease he had. He went back to his girlfriend, but at that point he'd already been away for a few years, and things really blew up in the biggest way possible, but I was with Aoko at the time. Once that fell through, Shinichi and I ended up together, and we've kind of been coasting ever since. I like the guy just fine, but…he was more exciting when he wore glasses. Too bad we couldn't be together then; it would have been mind-blowing."

"So…what will you do when Hattori-kun and Kudo-san end up together?" Saguru inquired, trying to be the least invasive possible.

"One more, please." Kaito chuckled, shrugging his shoulders again. "I'm forming a contingency plan as we speak, Tantei-san."

"I'm not a detective anymore," Saguru sighed, a nostalgic smile unfolding upon his lips. "At least…I'm not a private detective anymore. I work for Division One in Yokohama."

Kaito smirked. "Oh, reeeeally? What are you doing in Osaka, then?"

"Takeshi and I are taking a trip together."

They both looked back at the Pitt-bull and his conquest of the evening. Yep. Still going at it.

Kaito was impressed by their stamina.

"You really need to lose that guy, Hakuba. He's dumpster goo," Kuroba snorted.

"Beggars can't be choosers," Saguru sighed, praying to all those listening for his knight in shining armor to show up soon. He'd even take one with rusty armor. He was a little beyond desperate at that point. "He's what I can get, and until something better comes along…"

"You know, I saw this movie once where it said that changing your life isn't about changing your location; it's about changing the way you see things. At least, that's what I think it said. It was a long time ago, and the movie was in Spanish, and my Spanish is only so-so, but… Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that as long as you keep thinking that you're only able to attract the bottom feeders, you're only going to get those kinds of guys. Believe that you can do better, and you'll be surprised at how fast things turn around for you. I've changed my life several times, and I've seen others do it too. All you have to do is change your frame of mind."

Saguru nodded, and swallowed hard. "A-And…how do I do that?"

"You just do it. Just start thinking positive thoughts, like 'I'm an attractive person,' 'People like me,' 'People want to get to know me better,' and 'I can attract people who love me and treat me well.' Start thinking stuff like that, and then you'll eventually start believing it. What's even better, other people will start believing it too."

"Did you study psychology at university, or something?"

"I did." Kaito smirked. "You know, I bet you'll never guess what I do for a living."

"What do you do?" Saguru inquired.

"Guess!" the imp urged.

"I suppose you're not a professional magician. I would have heard of you, if you were. After all, you were an amazing performer back when I knew you," the cop puzzled it out.

"I haven't changed much," Kaito chuckled. "You're correct. I'm not a professional magician, but I do do shows for hospitals and nursing homes every other weekend. Continue."

"You wouldn't happen to be a consultant for companies that do security, would you? I have a feeling you'd be good at that," Hakuba chuckled dryly.

Kaito got a good laugh out of that. "Oh, no. That _would_ be good, though. No, my job is even more ironic."

"There's nothing more ironic than the Kaitou Kid working to secure homes and businesses from break-ins," Saguru snorted.

"Oh, I can think of one thing, and that's what I do." Kuroba smirked, and it was that grin that Hakuba remembered so well from his days working with the taskforce.

"I give up. What do you do?"

Kaito looked as pleased as a cat with a saucer of cream as he dug a police badge out of his pocket.

Saguru had to catch himself to keep from falling off of his barstool. "No way."

"Officer Kuroba of Division Two." His grin was bursting with pride.

"You're not serious."

"I'm completely serious!" Kaito chortled. "What do you think my old friends on the taskforce would do if they ever found out who their beloved little junior officer used to be?"

"So you admit it, then!" Hakuba shouted in triumph. "I knew it! I always knew it, but no one believed me after you discredited me over and over again with your alibis and tricks! Finally you admit it!"

"I admit to being Officer Kuroba Kaito of Division Two," Kaito replied levelly, a small smile still in place on his lips. "That's my true identity, but I will say this much:" He leaned in close and whispered into Saguru's ear. "You were right. They should have listened to you, Tantei-san~"

"May I ask you why? You said that it was my job to figure it out myself, but…I never figured it out, and now I'm afraid the trail's gone cold." Hakuba hesitantly met Kaito's steady gaze. "I mean…I read a little about your—along with Kid, Kudo, and Edogawa's—involvement in the take down of a very large crime syndicate a year or two after I left, but…"

"Sure. I'm drunk, and you're cute, so why not?" Kaito chuckled, making Hakuba's cheeks flush. "My father was murdered by some syndicate members who were looking for this gemstone hidden inside of another jewel. The inner stone, Pandora, was said to cry tears of immortality under certain conditions, but you could only see Pandora inside of the other gem if you held it up to the moon. I found Pandora, smashed it to pieces, and defeated the crime syndicate with the help of Shinichi and his gang. That's your answer. Thank you; come again!"

Saguru blinked. "That's utterly preposterous, but things make a lot more sense now. It really existed?"

"Yep, but now it doesn't. Don't think too hard about it, Hakuba."

Saguru nodded and ordered another drink. He bought one for Kaito as well.

They sat in silence, sipping at their beverages for a while until Kuroba burst into a fit of laughter. They continued their intoxicated conversation after the giggles died down.

"I was thinking about you the other day, you know," Kaito told him with a hiccup. "I always felt bad that you had to leave because of me."

"That wasn't your fault," Hakuba tried to assure him. "You did your best to defend me. It was those homophobic jerks and my own inability to take it that made me leave. I was always really grateful to you. Even when people started accusing you of being gay too, you never backed down. I remember one time when they were throwing things at me, you stepped in front of me and said that it wasn't a matter of being gay or not, it was a question of being a decent human being. You said that decent human beings didn't treat people that way. It hurt so much hearing you say that because it made me love you even more than I had ever thought possible. And yet, I knew you would never love me, even though all I wanted to do was throw my arms around you and kiss y—"

Saguru was surprised to find his lips being crushed beneath Kaito's.

This is a dream, he thought as he closed his eyes and savored the feeling of Kaito's lips and tongue and breath. He tried to ignore the overwhelming taste of alcohol that was probably the catalyst to the Division Two officer's actions.

Just enjoy the dream, he thought until Kuroba pulled back.

Saguru blinked, mind still hazy.

"Do you still love me, Hakuba?" Kaito asked, voice giving no hint as to the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

"Y-Yes," Saguru confessed. "I never stopped thinking of you, loving you."

His cheeks went up in flames (part of which was probably due to the number of beverages in which he had partaken).

"Then go out with me," Kaito proposed.

Hakuba blinked a few more times, begging the room to stop spinning. "But…we both have boyfriends."

Kaito rolled his eyes and pointed to Shinichi and Heiji trying to swallow each other's tongues in the corner. He then indicated Takeshi who had moved on to a new playmate—also wearing leather pants. Huh.

"Go out with me," Kaito urged again.

"I…I don't…we're both drunk. We shouldn't be—"

Kaito cut him off with a kiss. "Go out with me, Saguru," he commanded a third time.

The blonde melted. "O-Okay."

Kaito pinched Takeshi's phone and erased Saguru's information before carefully putting it back from whence it came.

They then quickly dropped by the opposite corner where the great detectives were still sucking on each other's tonsils.

"Shinichi, I found someone else, so I'm breaking up with you," he informed the other fair-skinned brunette. "Congrats, by the way. It took you two long enough to get together. I'll text ya later."

And then the former rivals were off in a taxi to the New Miyako hotel by Kyoto Station, twenty minutes away without the bustling traffic of the daylight hours to slow them down.

The next morning, Hakuba had a splitting headache, but he still clearly remembered the events of the previous night.

He lay awake for an hour or two, trying not to move, least he wake his bedmate. Saguru remembered _everything_—every touch, kiss, sigh, and oath of eternal love—but what if Kaito didn't?

He silently beat himself up. He _knew_ better than to start a relationship with someone when one or more parties were inebriated, so why had he gone and done it anyway?

Because it was Kaito, the man he had been in love with for half a decade.

And now all he could do was pray that it had really been Kaito and not the Bailey's talking last night when the brunette had asked him out.

A little sigh was the only warning Hakuba got before Kaito's gorgeous purple eyes flickered open. Lord, they were even prettier than he remembered in the rays of sunlight drifting in through the windows.

Kaito blinked and then smiled, giving Saguru's lips a little peck. "Morning. How ya feeling?"

"Absobloodylutely fantastic," Saguru chuckled, affectionately nuzzling his boyfriend's hair.

"Really?" Kaito laughed. "Not sore or anything? No hangover?"

"The pain doesn't matter when I've got you."

The brunette snorted. "What is this? A shoujo manga? Where _do_ you get your corny lines from? I love them." He slipped the blonde another kiss. "I love you."

"Since when?" Hakuba asked tentatively. "We hadn't seen each other in years before last night." Not that Saguru really minded their whirlwind courtship.

"I fell in love with you when I fell on top of you," Kaito informed him, rolling over onto his side. "But…you've been in the back of my mind ever since that day I went up to the roof to check on you. Seeing you so emotionally raw like that really had an effect on me. I'd never really thought much about the real you behind the deerstalker and the inverness coat before, but that day made me see you differently. You left before I could fall for you, but you left an impression on me that's lasted these past five years. You know what they say. 'Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.' Francois de La Rochefoucauld."

"Kuroba…" Saguru mumbled, staring at his hard-won love.

"Okay, after last night, do you really think that's what I want you to call me?" The thief-turned-cop rolled his marvelous eyes.

"Kaito…I love you too," Hakuba declared, looking the other young man right in the eye.

Kaito could see the deep-seated passion and dedication in those golden orbs. "I know you do," he chuckled, playfully nipping his boyfriend on the ear. "You said so a million times last night. Now, let's get up, get breakfast, and get back to Tokyo so that we can move you out of your ex-boyfriend's place before he comes home. He really does look like a Pit-bull, and I don't want to be introduced."

"Wait. Where am I going to stay, if I move out of Takeshi's apartment?" Saguru blinked. They hadn't quite thought this through.

"With me. With your dad." Kaito shrugged, sitting up. "I don't really care as long as you're safe, warm, and somewhere he can never touch you again. You're _mine_ now." He stated it simply, matter-of-factly, and it made Saguru absolutely giddy.

He liked having a possessive boyfriend…well, one that actually cared about his wellbeing rather than being concerned about their 'property' being handled by another.

"Oh, yes. You said that we would be returning to Tokyo, but the apartment's in Yokohama," Saguru remembered.

Kaito blinked. "Oh, yeah. You did say Yokohama, didn't you? Oh, well. Even better, since the Yokohama stop comes before Tokyo on the Shinkansen."

The brunette got out of bed and paused. "Where did my pants go?"

Saguru just laughed. It figures that he would get a knight in shining armor sans armor. Though, the night before when he'd been praying for his prince to come, he hadn't really been picky. Considering the circumstances, he'd done exceptionally well.

…

v (^o^) v

Mikau: It's making little peace signs for a picture. The End! Well, I hope you liked it. This was something that just accidentally happened one day. I don't remember why. The first and second chapters were originally separate ideas, but I find that they fit together well to form a nice cohesive whole. I would have liked to show more of Kaito thinking about and developing his feelings for Hakuba over the years, but that would have been a little boring, so I summed it up in one of the last paragraphs of the first chapter. Not showing the development makes Kaito's feelings for the blonde seem a little sudden, but…having a chapter where I went into more detail would have been boring. Anyway, thank you so much for joining me. I'd appreciate it if you took the time to send in your comments on the way out of the theatre. Take care guys, and drive home safely!


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